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Better understanding of asparagus miner biological control can contribute to management of this important pest.

The asparagus miner is an insect pest of asparagus that can
complete two generations during the growing season in Michigan. It overwinters
as a pupa, and adults usually start flying in mid-May. The eggs are laid just
under the skin of asparagus stems near the soil surface. Once larvae hatch,
they create tunnels in the stems while consuming plant tissue. The asparagus
miner is a possible vector for Fusarium, a disease that reduces the lifespan of
plants. Miner damage also reduces yield for the upcoming year’s harvest due to
larval feeding inside the stems.

The asparagus miner has several naturally occurring enemies
that attack it during the course of a season; this phenomenon is called
biological control. These natural enemies are parasitic wasps that seek out the
pupal stage of the asparagus miner and lay eggs inside the pupae. Once the eggs
hatch, the wasp larvae feed on the asparagus miner, and instead of an asparagus
miner emerging from the pupa, an adult wasp emerges that then searches for
other asparagus miner pupae in which to lay eggs.

Researchers in the MSU Vegetable Entomology Laboratory have found
eight morphologically different species of wasps that emerged from pupae of the
asparagus miner. These insects were collected from commercial asparagus fields
in Michigan (see pictures below). Little is currently known about their biology
or exact identity, but ongoing research in these areas will uncover important
questions related to increasing their efficacy in commercial asparagus fields. Biological
control of the asparagus miner has previously not been explored in the United
States, yet this strategy can be an essential component of integrated pest
management programs.

Related Resources

Ben Werling, and Curtis Talley, Michigan State University Extension | Michigan has ranked second or third nationally in asparagus production since the last cost of production study was conducted in 2009. In 2015, Michigan growers harvested 22 million pounds of asparagus from 8,900 acres valued at $19.7 million.

Michigan State University Extension, Mary Hausbeck, Zsofia Szendra, Ben Phillips, and Fred Warner | This annual guide is a summary of currently suggested vegetable varieties, seeding rates, fertilizer rates, weed control, insect control and disease control measures for commercial growers. A version of this publication is available at http://mwveguide.org

Darryl Warncke, Laura Bast, and Don Christenson | This bulletin covers the nature of soil acidity, the need and importance of liming the soil to neutralize acidity, comparisons of various liming materials and their neutralizing values, and guidelines for liming soils for crops grown in Michigan.